Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-03


Of the license fee and yet retain all OF their priv
ileges. They work IL this way: Late at night
everybody that viii sell and Usually get it CHEAP
STUN that is left over and that the farmers are
only anxious 70 get rid Of The next morning
they come here, sprinkle their produce 50 that It
| looks fresh and dewy, and arrange it In tempting
array In the approved hucSster manner; that is,
with the good stun on top and the poor pieces at
the bottom. They take their stand side by side
with the farmers, and to all intents and purposes
they are genuine countrymen. Their prices do
not exceed those OF the farmers and there is moth
ing to betray them to the casual purchaser. Thus
you see they avoid the fee and reap the farmers
benefits. That is what the countrymen CON-
'But is there nothing to be done about it," asked
the reporter.
.only this, /" was the reply; "that we drive them
walk down street, and Can show you what we
DO and what we can't do"
ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE.
And so the reporter and the officer who was in
citizens clothes, stroed along the north side OF
street from 9th to 18th. The crowds that were con-
Stantiy Sury1ng around them made rapid Roadway
Impossible, and at times 1t was necessary TO pass
through the building for short distance In order
to get ahead at al "Nearly every one OF these
referring TO the Sunburnt men and women stand
Ing at the rear Of their wagons, which were backed
saug!y TO the curb, surrounded by apples, grapes,
potatoes, caDDige5, vans, and other specimens or
the fruits OF their husbandry. They had genu-
1ne look Of bucOiic honesty xlat was undeniable:
OueI SODuS we're ueSu, anu, On turning them over,
one could see that their quality was as good Of
the BOTTOM as AT the top As the officer passed
along the farmers all had pleasant word or q
Il know them ALL" he remarked, "and know
just where they come from. Here is one fellow OF
whom l am little doubtful believe that he is
should prove my suspicious shall give MIN notice
ID leave THIS Side OF the street and he will have TO
side, and we have no right TO dictate as to who
slall occupy the curb on The other side Usually
huckSter Will go right across when drive him
away from here, and goes on with his business un-
disturbed. There is very little difference between
as we call them, Ike this side better"
us there nothing that can he done to drive
them away altogether" asked the reporter.
III seems not, responded the guide, as the pair
crossed the street to the south side Here there
was the same succession vi WAGONS in every
Imaginable style and form. There were the same
kinds OF vegetables, and, in general, the same
quality, as far as could be discovered. But the
faces OF the vendors different There was less
or That verd ant Innocence tnit mad been rharac-
terl,ilc or tne north side. TIE chances, too, that
,nenno as frank as those that had been noLiced
across the street.
THE TRUE AND THR FALSE
AS they passed down tnc in tue officer picked
QUE from the conglo.nerate mass Of farmers and
nl;ksters the true AMI the taise articles, and as
they proceeded from 7Jn otre.t, down the south
side Of b for five squares pa sing nearly Jour hun
as shark
las Lold yOu," said the guide, 1--WE have no
Jurisdiction over L.ds side OF tue street. and con-
sc uenLly, 1t Is mOSo bic for US TO regulate this
Nuisance, further than keeping them away from
Tue Oiher side There every man Is Oh irged a
very smali fee for the privilege OF occupying the
space under the iron awning. and, in many re-
sF'h;ts, taere are advantages which attract the
.ounter,rItS. But many .. the farmers prefer to
stIy over nere. You see, me OF them do nothing
pa. "!.o e'ie selling, AMI. ior tnls purpose, the
places distance from the market are reg rded as
the best. Now there Is one regular police oIicer
"D0 eAerclS 3 sort or watch vi care over th,. e
men, and he Ma. endeavored several tunes TO bring
iDodt reform In this matter, but nearly eyery
c Use that has Deen III de against the shark has
Ia some Nay, 'eh qua he'd In the Police Court SO
tnat he mas never been able to rOut them out
entirely. He Watches every opportunity TO secure
evidence that These men sell Oniy what they buy
but 1t Is very nard TO mud that.
"fnlS practice Is direct violation of the law
nd am surprised that ~ should have been
countenanced so long by the authorities Tue
iArlnerS are right in complaining"
A BUCoLIC FRAUD.
swatch that woman," he continued, as they
walked down the liae, pointing to a small fem lie
in countried attire who stood in the midst OF her
wares. 81 would be wiling to wager tnat she has
not been outside OF the city THIS summer and vet
sue comes here every other day ana assumes Inc
role OF a country woman and ,.cu.%s the .dvaI-
ttgeS OF the farmer. TWO years ako she used Ia
sell on our side and did big business In butter.
Her rolls looked fresh and ner dress looked YER
| dAnL. and u great many people bought of her.
thinking that her butter was good. / heard some
complaints against her and got nod of some OF
her butter. II was the ranKeot stuff ever tasted
commission merchants. she did a good deal OF
trade In buttertne as WELL AS soon As mad sDotted
her gave ner orders to leave and sac in It drove
| her wagon over mere and Is here yet, doing the
same thing"
WHAT FARMER SAID.
One OF the truck farmers Wlo comes into mar
ket three times week from Prince George County.
Md. stated 70 STAR reporter that the farmers
were crowded out Of their proper places along the
curb by the Smithsonian grounds by the presence
In large numbers Of these bogus farmers IL Was
he said. TO the interest OF both the licensed city
huekster OF the farmer, OF the retail dealer in
They undersold every one because they boughC
STALE leftover truck cheap paid no license or rent
and had no expense. Recently about forty OF the
genuine farmers were arrested for having their
wagons on the street, when as matter OF TACT the
space allowed the farmers Was occupied by the re-
tailers who buy their country produce from the
commission houses. On August 2 many of the
farmers united In petition to the commissioners
asking them to stop persons whO are not pro-
ing the Smithsonian. ''They not only sell to our det
rinent" the petitioners said ''but take pOssesi0n
OF the space allowed US for our wagons, so that
street. Many of toe genuine licensed fruit and
vegetable dealers In the markets and thrOug sOut
the city complain TO us that these retailers no
stand on the wholesale line can undersell them rs
getting the relief asked Tor" said the farmer #.
a squad OF his men and put under arrest about
forty farmers for ObStruct1ng the street CROSSING
with their wagons and produce and took them Go
the station-hOuse On 12th street. They were re-
Quired to leave S collateral each or remain In Gus
tody until their cases were decided at the Police
Court. Some had the amount and others were
Obliged to stay at the Police Court from 800 a m
TO go pm, leaving their wagons and produce al
the mercy OF anybody. When the cases were
called to the attention OF Judge Harper the law
was read to the farmers and they were dismissed.
with warning not to 0bstruct street-crossinRs
any more II Lhe relief which the farmers aske6
In their petition had come there would not have
been any occasion for the arrests"
ANOTHER COMPLAINT OF TIE FARMERS,
The farmers have another complaint, the remedy
for which appears to DO largely In their own handa
This complaint, as told to TIE STAR reporter IA
substantially as follows: Two men commissioned
as special policemen, but who have NO connection
with the market company, make their appearances
early every morning. and ask on MONDAYS Wednes.
days and Fridays f1ve cents. and on Tuesdays,
Thursdays and SATURDAYS ten cents from each
pay for aswesping the place One
and book, aud they make their demand with an
air OF authority that imposes upon the farmers
VINO believe that It Is an authorized thing sThere
are an average Of 500 farmers with their wagons
at The market !" said the farmer who was talking
days the number Will reach between 4OC
and 600, which. ct ten cents each, would
make tho receipts OF these men between go and
| $50. One SATURDAY counted 40 wagons, and
know that over 800 Of them paid their ten cents
day By four different farmers, one coming In when
another loft, and that space was taxed ten cent,
| each time. Y0a can see that their receipts an
large, but DO not believe the farmers would com.
them or their goods were protected. The space 4
| swept and cleaned, am told, by the WoTkhOusl